In June, the Gomides family completed its first year of ministry in Thailand! It was in mid-2019 that James, Mila and little Sophia moved to the town of Lopburi, where they lived for the past twelve months. An important process of deconstruction and reconstruction was initiated, opening themselves to a completely new culture, rediscovering the identity of servants and inaugurating the ministerial journey that God gave them.
Check out the great milestones of this time that fills the heart of the Gomides family with joy and will surely fill yours too!
Milestone 1: the family is growing!
There’s a baby coming! Soon, Sophia will gain a little brother or sister, for the Lord has presented the family with a baby!
Let us pray for a healthy pregnancy, for the health of the mother (who has felt very sick) and for the health of the child, which is scheduled to arrive in March 2021.
2nd milestone: learning the Thai language!
Looking back and comparing August 2019 with August 2020, there are remarkable advances in Thai language learning. What once seemed indecipherable is now part of the communication.
Still with some limitations, James and Mila are already able to speak, read, and understand the language of the people God has called them to love and serve! Even Mother’s Day in Thailand on 8/12 was very remarkable: for the first time, James spoke Thai in public, bringing a special message to celebrate the date.
3rd milestone: the Lord’s faithfulness in the midst of the pandemic
Even in a time of global crisis, the Lord’s faithfulness is never shaken! This is what the missionaries have been able to observe in recent months and for this reason they are very grateful!
There are several reasons, a year of ministry; a baby on the way; the cure of Tiago’s mother and sister who were infected with coronavirus; every prayer, all encouragement, the generous monthly and sporadic offerings that have not been lacking for our brothers and sisters.
Next steps
After a year in Lopburi, the missionaries are in the process of changing. They are expected to be settled in Bangkok, the bustling Thai capital, by November. There, they will act in community care and planting new churches. A missionary who has worked for 20 years with leadership of local churches in Thailand, has agreed to mentor the couple in this new phase of transition and discernment, in relation to the future community they will serve and this is excellent news.
Together with the Lausanne Movement, Mila has worked with the editorial group in the production of missiological articles. The main goal is to disseminate what God is doing locally in different countries and that influence the Global Church. From this initiative was born the first text written in Portuguese by a national leader, this reflects the breaking of a barrier that prevented many Brazilian voices from sharing what has been happening in our country.
See the text “Brazilian Movement Connects Brazilian Youth with the Mission of God”.
Let us pray for the direction and discernment of God in this new moment, which marks the second stage of the journey of James and Mila in Thailand. May our God continue to care for our missionaries and do great things through this precious family!
